Hydraulic lift for mowing machines



y 22, 1952 R. NEWMAN 2,603,929

HYDRAULIC LIFT F'OR'MOWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 24, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Richard Newman INVENTOR.

July 22, 1952 NEWMAN 2,603,929

HYDRAULIC LIFT FOR MOWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 24, 1948 v s Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

Ric/rard Newman INVENTOR.

BY ova yum 5% July 22, 1952 NEWMAN 2,603,929

HYDRAULIC LIFT FORMOWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 24, 1948 v s Sheets-Sheet 3 Richard Newman INVENTOR.

'trated in Figural, 7

"vice'il-lustr'ated in Figure 1', j j

Patented July 22, 1952 UNITED STATES PAT ENT OFFICE inznnAULIo LIFT Fen MO'WING MACHINES Richard Newman, Lakeview, Greg. Application November 24, 1948, Serial No. 61,886

Claims.

This invention relates to a hydraulic lift for a mowing machine, and has for its primary object to facilitate the moving of the sickle-bar of a mowing machine to vertical position and holding said sickle bar in such positionagainstvibration and side sway.

In the ordinary tractor drawn mowing machine of the type to which this invention relates, the sickle bar is moved to a vertical position and supported therein by mechanism carried by the tractor which engages the sickle bar near its lower end with the result, that considerable side sway, vibration and whip occurs to the sickle bar while the equipment is being moved from field to field or from field to barn.

A further object of the invention-not onlyis to eliminate the side sway, but to enable the sickle bar easily and quickly to be raised or lowered according to the desires of the user. 7

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a boom mounted on the carriage on which a sickle bar is supported to swing in a vertical plane which aligns substantially with the vertical plane through Which thesickle bar swings, a flexible membercoupled at one end to the boom and at its opposite end to the gag link by which the sickle bar is moved through its vertical arc, and hydraulic means carrie'd by the carriage andconnected to the hydraulic system of a tractor to which the carriage maybe connected for moving the boom in itsv'er'tic'al arc and consequently causing the sickle'bar to swing in its vertical arc. f

Other features include a yielding connection between'theboom and the gag link to resiliently support the sickle bar inits operative position, and an arm'carried by the boom adjacent the end thereof remote from-thecarriage with means on the armdetachably to couplefthe sickle bar thereto whenthe latter-is in vertical inoperative position, to hold said sickle baragai nst side sway. lnthedrawingsr 1 W -Figure Us 'a perspective view of a conventional tractor mowing attachment showing this imrnent in place, H M Figure 2 is'a top'plan view Of the dev ce illusproved 'sicklebar 'supportin'g'and moving equipr Figure 3 is a rear view;

'etlevationfof the de- Figure 4 is afragm'entary perspective Tview'of "aportion f'o'f'ith'e carriage showing the fn'oi'inting for the elevating boom,

. 2 Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional View taken substantially along the line 55 of Figurel,

' Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged side view partially in section illustrating in detail the mounting of the hydraulic cylinder and various connections with the boom, and V Figure '7 is a rear end view of the attachment. parts being removed in order to more clearly illustrate the boom supporting and moving equipment.

Referring to the drawings in detail a carriage designated generally [0 comprising an A-frame H having the base thereof coupled to the draw bar l2 of a conventional farm tractor is equipped with a conventional caster wheel l4, and supports the conventional drive mechanism designated generally [6 for a sickle bar designated generally 18 which is supported on the carriage by a conventional coupling bar 29. The sickle bar I8 is moved in a vertical plane ina conventional mannerthrough the medium of a conventional gag lever '22 one end of which is adapted to be connected to the conventional sickle bar lifting mechanismiof a conventional farm tractor. The mechanism so far describedis such as will be commonly-found on a tractor mower of the type produced by, the International Harvester Company and sold under the trade-mark McCormick-'Deering as the McCormick Universal Mower No. 27 V. The No. 2'7-V mower is clearly illustrated and described in Pamphlet No. A-GlS-NN Q-BO published for and distributed by the International Harvester Company of Chicago, Illinois. The mower is'shownan'd described as being connected to a tractor having a power takeoff and a hydraulic system.

" In order to elevate the sickle bar l8, and hold it against vibration when it is in position for transportatioh I secureto the A-frame II a framework designated generally z l whichcomprises a pair of spaced's'tandards 2t and-2l,the upper ends of'wh-ich' areconnected together by a transversely extendingcrossbarlli and the standards are held in proper vertical position by angular brace bars '30 and cross braces 32. Fixed to the underside of the 'A-frame of the carriage l6 directlybeneath one of the standards 26, and extending laterally beyond one side of the A-frame is a channel member 34 which is provided aidjac'ent its end remote from the A-fra ne with an elongated longitudinal slot 36, the purpose of.

the channel 34 is one end of a boom 40, and connected to the boom and extending angularly therefrom is a brace bar 42 which is pivotally coupled as at 44 to the upper end of the opposite standard 27. Riveted or otherwise fixed to the end of the boom 40 remote from the pivot 38, and extending longitudinally and upwardly therefrom is an arm 43 carrying a screw threaded shank 45 on which a nut 41 is threaded. Formed in the boom intermediate its ends, is an elongated longitudinal slot 48 which lies in substantial vertical alignment with the slot 36 in the channel bracket 34. Extending through the boom 40 between the elongated slot 48 and the end thereof carrying the arm 43 is an opening 50, the purpose of which will be more fully hereinafter described.

Seated on the channel bracket 34 directly above the slot 36 therein is a hydraulic cylinder 52 in which a piston (not shown) works, and fixed to the piston and operating through the upper end of the cylinder 52 is a piston rod 54, which is provided adjacent its upper end with external screw threads 56 onto which a stop collar 58 is threaded. The upper end of the piston rod 54 extends through the slot 48 in the boom 40, while the lower end of the cylinder 52 is provided with a depending stud 60 which projects through the slot 36 in the channel bracket 34, and coupled to the inlet port 62 of the cylinder 52 is a flexible tube 64 which is connected to the hydraulic system of a farm tractor to which the mowing attachment is connected.

Extending through the opening 50 in the boom 40 is a long bolt 66, the threaded end of which is threadedly engaged in a nut 68 carried at the upper end of a retractile coil spring '10, the lower end of which is connected through the medium of a chain or other suitable flexible connection T2 to a clevis 14 which is pivotally coupled to the gag lever 22, so as to yieldingly support the sickle bar [8. It will thus be seen that when the boom 46 is moved upwardly about the pivots 38 and 44, pull will be exerted on the spring Ill to cause the clevis 14 to move the gag lever 22 about its pivot and thus elevate the sickle bar into a substantially vertical position. A safety chain 16 is coupled at one end as at 18 to the boom 40, and the opposite end of the chain 16 is connected to the clevis i4, and this chain is slightly longer 'thanthe combined length of the bolt 86, spring Hland chain '12, so that under ordinary circumstances the sickle bar will be yieldingly suspended by the spring 10, but when upward movement is exerted on the boom 40, and the spring extends beyond a predetermined limit, the chain 16 will become taut in order to exert a definite upward pull on the gag lever 22, positively to move the sickle bar to vertical position.

In use a tractor mowing attachment ID equipped with my improved sickle bar elevating device is coupled to a farm tractor of conventional form having a power take-off and a hydraulic system. The end of the flexible tube 64 remote from the cylinder 52 is coupled to the hydraulic system and the drive mechanism iii of the mowing attachment is coupled to the power take-off of the farm tractor. The chains 72 and 16 are nextconnected by the clevis 14 to the gag lever 22 as illustrated in the drawings and upon relieving any fluid pressure within the cylinder 52, it will be ob.-

vious that the boom 40 will move downwardlyunder the influence of gravity so that the sickle bar l8 will remain in substantially horizon'taloperati've'position. In this position the 'tractormay be driven and the mowing may take place in a conventional manner.

invention as claimed.

4 transport the mowing attachment from one field to another or from a field to a barn, fluid pressure is admitted through the pipe 64 into the cylinder 52, thus moving the piston upwardly and causing the piston rod 54 to lift the boom 40 through the medium of the adjustable collar 53. Such upward movement will exert upward pull on the spring 10, thus tending to elongate it. After the spring has elongated to a predetermined point, the chain 16 becomes taut and further upward movement of the boom 40 will rock the gag lever 22 into the position substantially shown in Figure 3 so as to cause the sickle bar [8 to move upwardly to substantially vertical inoperative position. When in this position, the operator of the tractor or other attendant clamps the edge of the sickle bar between the nut 41 and the end of the arm 43 near the upper end of the sickle bar I8, positively to hold said sickle bar against vibration and side sway due to the motion of the tractor. Due to the fact that the sickle bar is supported not only at its bottom end, but also near its upper end, it will be obvious that it will be held stationary while the device is in transit. At the same time it is but a simple matter to disengage the nut 4'! from clamping engagement with the sickle bar l8 so that when it is desired to place the sickle bar in service it is only necessary to manipulate the hydraulic control to permit the fluid whichhas been forced into the cylinder 52 to be discharged through the port 62 back into the hydraulic system of the tractor, thus permitting the piston rod 54 to move downwardly under the weight of the boom 40, thus relieving the tension on the chain 16 and permitting the sickle bar l8 to swing downwardly into substantially horizontal position. Obviously the exact position of the sickle bar may be governed by regulating the amount of fluid remaining in the cylinder 52, and due tothe yielding suspension of the sickle bar effected by the'spring 10, it will be obvious that it may rock through a limited length of its arc of movement.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the deails of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a mowing attachment adapted to be coupled to a farm tractor having a power take-off, said attachment being of the type embodying a wheeled carriage, a sickle bar mounted on the carriage to'swing in a vertical plane from a substantially horizontal operative position to a substantially vertical inoperative position, means carried by the carriage and coupled to the sickle barand adapted to be coupled to the power takeoff of the tractor for driving said sickle bar, a gag link pivoted to the carriage and coupled to the sickle bar for swinging the sickle bar in its vertical plane, means for actuating the gag link and swinging .said sickle bar comprising a boom mounted on the carriageto swing in a vertical When it is desired 17 plane which'is substantially parallel with the first mentioned vertical plane in which the sickle bar swings, a tension spring coupled at one end to the boom and at its opposite end to the gag link and means carried bylthe carriage formoving the boom in its vertical plane.

V 2.'I'n a mowing attachme t adapted be cou pled to a farm tractor'haying"anhydraulic sys- 'tem and a power take-off, said attachmentbe- 'i-ng of the type embodying a wheeled carriage, asi'ckle bar mounted on the carriage to swing 'in a Vertical plane from a substantially horizontal operative position to a substantially vertical inoperative position, means carried by the carriage and coupled to the sickle bar and adapted to be coupled to the power take-off of the tractor for driving said sickle bar, 'a gag link for swinging the sickle bar in its vertical plane, means for actuating the gag link and swinging said sickle bar comprising a boom mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical plane which is substantially coplanar with the first mentioned vertical plane in which the sickle bar swings, said boom overlying the gag link, a tension spring coupled at one end to the boom and at its opposite end to the gag link, a bracket carried by the carriage beneath the boom, and hydraulic means carried by the bracket and coupled to the boom and actuatable by the hydraulic system of the tractorifor movingthe boom in its vertical plane.

;3. In a mowing attachment adapted to'be coupled to a farm tractor having an hydraulic syscarriage for swinging the sickle bar in its vertical plane, means for actuating the gag link and swinging said sickle bar comprising a boom mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical plane which aligns substantially with the vertical plane through which the sickle bar swings, a tension spring coupled at one end to the boom and at its opposite end to the gag link, a bracket carried by the tractor beneath the boom, a vertical cylinder mounted on the bracket below the boom, a piston working in the cylinder, a piston rod coupled to the piston and Working through the upper end of the cylinder and extending through the boom, a stop collar adjustable on the piston rod below the boom for engaging the boom and lifting it, and means coupled to the cylinder and adapted to be coupled to the hydraulic system on the tractor to admit iluid under pressure to the cylinder.

4. In a mowing attachment adapted to be coupled to a farm tractor for actuation, a wheeled carriage, a sickle bar mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical plane from a substantially horizontal operative position to a substantially vertical inoperative position, means carried by the carriage for driving said sickle bar and a gag link for swinging the sickle bar in its Vertical plane, means yieldingly supporting the sickle bar and for actuating the gag link, said means comprising a substantially horizontal boom mounted on the carriage above the gag link to swing in a vertical plane which is substantially coplanar with the vertical plane in which the sickle bar swings, a

' yielding extensible member coupled at one end of the boom and at its; opposite end to the gag link, means carried by the carriage for swinging said boom relativ to the carriage.

5. In a mowing attachment adapted to be coupled to a farm tractor having a power take-off, said attachment being of the type embodying a wheeled carriage, a sickle bar mounted on thecarriage to swing in a vertical plane from a substantially horizontal'ope'rative position to a substantially vertical inoperative position, means a yielding "extensible member coupled at one end to the boom and at its opposite end to the gag link yildi-ng-ly sup orting the Sicklebar fi ol'h the b oolnar'ldforactuating the "gag link, a ficklble safety-member of greater length than the length'of the extensible member coupled at one end to the boom and at its opposite end 'tothe "gag link, and means carried by the carriage-for moving theboom init's vertical-plane.

6. In a mowing attachment, a wheeled barriage, a sickle bar mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical plane from a substantially horizontaloperative position to a substantially vertical inoperative position, a gag link pivoted to the carriage and connected to the sickle bar for swinging the sickle bar in its vertical plane, means for actuating the gag link and swinging said sickle bar comprising a boom overlying the gag link and mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical plane which is substantially coplanar with the vertical plane in which the sickle bar swings, a tension spring coupled at one end to the boom and at its opposite end to the gag link, means carried by the carriag for moving the boom in its vertical plane, and means carried by the boom for engaging the sickle bar near its upper end and holding it in its vertical inoperative position.

'7. In a mowing attachment adapted to be coupled to a farm tractor for actuation, a wheeled carriage, a sickle bar mounted on the carriage to swing in a vertical plane from a substantially horizontal operative position to a substantially vertical inoperative position, means carried by the carriage and operatively connected to the sickle bar for driving said sickle bar including a gag link for swinging the sickle bar in its vertical plane, means for actuating the gag link and swinging said sickle bar comprising a horizontally extending boom pivoted at one end to the carriage to swing in a vertical plane which is substantially coplanar with the vertical plane in which the sickle bar swings, a tension spring coupled at one end to the boom and at its opposite end to the gag link, means carried by the carriage for moving the boom in its vertical plane, an arm pivoted on the boom adjacent the end thereof remote from the carriage and means carried by the arm for detachably coupling said arm to the sickle bar when the latter is in vertical inoperative position to hold said sickle bar against side sway.

8. In a mowing machine of the type including a frame and a sickle bar mounted on the frame for vertical swinging movement and having a gag link for swinging the sickle bar from a substantially horizontal operative position to a substantially vertical inoperative position; an improvement comprising a horizontally extending boom having its inner end pivoted to the frame and being swingable in a vertical plane substantially coplanar with the plane of movement of 7, the sickle bar with the outer end of the boom being disposed substantially directly above the gag link, means to actuate said gag link comprising a vertically extending tension spring having one-end connected to the boom and having its other end connected to the gag link, whereby the sickle bar is fioatingly supported in its operative position, and means for moving the boom about its pivotal connection to the frame, whereby the tension spring is tensioned to actuate the gag link and raise the sickle bar to the inoperative position.

9. The combination of claim 8, wherein said last means includes a hydraulic jack the cylinder of-which is rigidly secured to the frame with the plunger thereof slidingly engaging the boom, and means carried at the outer end of the boom for releasably clamping the sickle bar at a position remote from the gag link when the sickle bar is in the inoperative position.

10. In an agricultural implement, a frame, an elongated boom pivoted at its inner end to the frame for vertical swinging movement, a hydraulic jack secured to the frame and including a plunger attached to the boom intermediate its ends for swinging the same in a vertical arc, a sickle bar associated with the frame for vertical swinging movement and a gag link associated with the sickle bar for swinging the same in a vertical are, a resilient connection between the outer end of the boom and the gag link for actuation of the gag link, said outer end of theboom overlying the gag link, whereby the sickle bar is raised responsive to upward swinging movement of the boom with the resilient connection permitting vertical swinging movement ofthe sickle bar independently of the boom.

RICHARD NEWMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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